Fastening means



June 20, 1967 A. G. M. CLARK 3,326,588

FASTENING MEANS Filed Feb. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1.

F IG 2 16 INVENTOR 15 14 11 10 41/605 G.M CLnaK AT TOR NEYS June 20, 1967 A. G. M. CLARK 3,326,538

FASTENING MEANS Filed Feb. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 4IV6U$ QM, @LAeK ATTORNEYS United States Patent FASTENING MEANS Angus Gordon Melville Clark, 24 Holly Hill, London NW. 3, England Filed Feb. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 431,561 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 13, 1964, 6,155/ 64 7 Claims. (Cl. 292-2515) This invention relates to improved fastening means to secure together two components, such as a door and a jamb, and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive means that can be assembled to the components without extensive modification thereof.

According to the present invention, fastening means to secure together two components one movable and one immovable, such as a door and a jamb. In the language of this art, that portion of the fastening means which is on the movable component is often referred to as a latch assembly and that portion on the immovable component is referred to as a keeper assembly. The keeper assembly according to the invention comprises a first permanent magnet having means to attach it fixedly to one of the components, and the latch assembly according to the invention comprises a second permanent magnet having means to attach it movably to the other component. The arrangement of the latch and keeper assemblies is such that when the respective components are contiguous the magnetic faces of opposed polarity are in contact to attract one another and retain the components together, but movement of the second magnet to separate the magnetic faces of opposed polarity permits separation of the components.

Preferably the magnets are horseshoe magnets, and advantageously, the movement of the second magnet is directed along a path defined rotationally about an axis about which the poles of the magnets are located symmetrically.

The second magnet is conveniently located on one side of a component such as a door, and its rotation is effected by a knob or the like on the other side of said component.

Alternatively, the keeper assembly which includes the first magnet may be fixedly recessed within the first component, and the latch assembly which includes the second magnet may be rotatably recessed within the second component, its rotation being effected by means such as a rack and pinion or lever arm.

Alternatively, again, the magnets may be bar magnets and the movement of the second magnet may be translational along the longitudinal axis of said second magnet.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of a first embodiment,

FIGURE 2 is a plan of the first embodiment,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment, and

FIGURE 4 is a plan of the second embodiment.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, in a preferred embodiment of fastening means for use on a cupboard door 15 hingedly mounted as at 8, the magnet means includes horseshoe permanent magnets of generally cylindrical shape, commonly termed button magnets.

A first magnet is fixed by a screw 11 which passes through the center of the magnet about which the poles are located symmetrically, to a bracket 12 secured to a jamb 13 of a cupboard, so that the poles of the magnet face outwardly, and towards the inside face of the door. The magnet is retained by a nut 9.

A similar second magnet 14 is located on the inside face of the door 15, with its poles facing inwardly, so

3,326,588 Patented June 20, 1967 that when the door is closed the first and second magnets are co-axial and contiguous, poles to poles.

The second magnet 14 is fastened on a shaft 16 which is carried in a flanged bushing 18 which is located in the door 15. On the end of the shaft 16 remote from the magnet 14 and on the outside of the door 15 is a knob 17, which is held on the shaft 16 by a grub-screw 19. Rotation of the knob 17 causes the poles of the second magnet 14 to rotate along a path prescribed about the magnets central longitudinal axis, which is co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 16. Thus, when the first and second magnets 10 and 14 respectively are face to face, i.e. when the door is closed, and unlike poles are in contact, they attract one another to secure together the door 15 and the jamb 13. Rotation of the second magnet 14 through by means of the knob 17 to bring the like magnetic faces of the magnets into contact, causes the magnets to repel one another, and urges the door open. A projection 6 is formed on the outer flange of the bush 18 to engage an arcuate recess indicated at 7, and so limit the rotation of the knob 17, and thereby the second magnet 14 to the required angular travel. A spiral spring (not shown) may be employed to urge the knob, and thus the second magnet, into either of the two limit positions.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the latch assembly comprises magnet 14, shaft 16, bushing 18 and knob 17. The keeper assembly comprises magnet 10, bracket 12, screw 11 and nut 9.

In another embodiment, the first magnet is fixedly recessed within the door, at the edge thereof which faces the jamb, and with its axis parallel with the general plane of the door. The second magnet is coaxial with the first magnet, and is rotatably recessed within the jamb, and its rotation is effected by operating means comprising a rack and pinion or lever arms.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, a second embodiment which is especially suitable for sliding doors comprises a first magnet 20, which is secured by a screw 21 to a bracket 22. The bracket 22 is secured to a sliding door 23 in such a position that the pole pieces of the magnet are directed towards the jamb 24 of the door 23.

A second magnet 25 is attached to a shaft 26 which has a toothed portion 26a constituting a pinion at substantially its mid point. The shaft 26 is carried in a bracket 27 which is attached to the jamb 24 of the door in such a position that the poles of the magnet 25 face the poles of the magnet 20 and the magnet 25 is co-axial with the magnet 20. The bracket 27 has a tube 28 attached to it and passing through the door. Inside the tube is located a plunger 29, one end of which is formed as a rack 29a which meshes with the toothed gear portion 26a of the shaft 26. The end of the plunger 29 remote from the toothed end 29a protrudes from the door. The plunger 29 is formed with two diameters, the rack portion 29a being of reduced diameter. A coil spring 30 seats on the shoulder 29b and returns the plunger after use. The shaft 26 is provided with a collar 31 which locates it axially.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the latch assembly comprises magnet 25, shaft 26, bracket 27, tube 28, and plunger 29 while the keeper assembly comprises magnet 20, bracket 22 and screw 21.

Where the thickness of the door is sufficient, the mechanism may be housed within said thickness, and thus concealed.

Permanent horseshoe magnets suitable for use as the first and second magnet of the present invention are available under the trade name Eclipse.

The invention contemplates that the magnets may be bar magnets, wherein the movement of the second anagnet may be translational along the longitudinal axis of the second magnet. Thus, the first magnet may be fixedly recessed in the jamb in a vertical position. The second magnet may then be recessed in the edge of the door in a groove, and arranged to be slidable vertically in the groove so that in its upper position it is opposite the first magnet with unlike poles contiguous. The door is then held closed when the second magnet is slid down to its lowest position, like poles are contiguous, and the door may be opened.

What is claimed is:

1. Fastening means for releasably securing a pair of relatively movable components one to the other operable between a secured condition and a release condition, comprising a latch assembly mounted to a movable one of said components and a keeper assembly mounted to the other one of said components, said latch assembly comprising first magnet means including first magnetic faces of opposed polarity arranged in a common plane and operating means secured to said magnet means for translating said first magnetic faces along a prescribed path in said common plane, said keeper assembly comprising a bracket member projecting fixedly from a surface of said other one of said components, second magnet means fixed on said bracket and including second magnetic faces of opposed polarity arranged in a second common plane, reinforcing means on said bracket member for retaining said second magnet means against movement and said second magnet means having the second magnetic faces thereof arranged in opposite relationship to the first magnetic faces of said first magnet means, said first and second magnet means being arranged to be brought into face to face contact and said first magnetic faces being selectively translatable along said prescribed path between a position where opposed polarity faces of said respective first and second magnet means are in magnetic engagement to effect said secured condition and a second position where the like polarity faces are brought into face to face relation to effect said release condition.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which said first magnet means comprises a pair of parallel pole pieces, the ends of which are spaced apart and carry said magnetic faces in a common axial plane, each of said magnet means having a pair of magnetic faces of opposed polarity and said operating means effects a rotational movement of said first magnet means.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 2 in which each of said magnet means have their respective pole pieces spaced one from the other and means for fixing said second magnet means on the bracket is disposed between said pole pieces recessed from said common plane.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3 in which said magnet means each comprise, generally, a horseshoe magnet.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which there is a tubular element arranged on the said movable one of said components, said tubular element forming a bearing for part of said operating means of the latch assembly.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 5 in which said operating means includes a rotatable shaft connected to said first magnet means and having a free end, said free end being engaged through said tubular element and a handle member secured to said free end.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 5 in which said operating means includes a rotatable shaft connected to said first magnet means and having opposite ends, gear means on the shaft between said opposite ends, a plunger engaged for reciprocation through said tubular element and having gear means at one end thereof engageable with said gear means on said shaft for-rotating said shaft and hence said first magnet means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,797,655 5/ 1957 Morehouse 292--251.5 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 73,266 10/1951 Denmark. 1,179,194 12/1958 France. 1,201,673 7/ 1959 France. 1,302,936 7/ 1962 France.

145,325 11/ 1903 Germany.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner. 

1. FASTENING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING A PAIR OF RELATIVELY MOVABLE COMPONENTS ONE TO THE OTHER OPERABLE BETWEEN A SECURED CONDITION AND A RELEASE CONDITION, COMPRISING A LATCH ASSEMBLY MOUNTED TO A MOVABLE ONE OF SAID COMPONENTS AND A KEEPER ASSEMBLY MOUNTED TO THE OTHER ONE OF SAID COMPONENTS, SAID LATCH ASSEMBLY COMPRISING FIRST MAGNET MEANS INCLUDING FIRST MAGNETIC FACES OF OPPOSED POLARITY ARRANGED IN A COMMON PLANE AND OPERATING MEANS SECURED TO SAID MAGNET MEANS FOR TRANSLATING SAID FIRST MAGNETIC FACES ALONG A PRESCRIBED PATH IN SAID COMMON PLANE, SAID KEEPER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BRACKET MEMBER PROJECTING FIXEDLY FROM A SURFACE OF SAID OTHER ONE OF SAID COMPONENTS, SECOND MAGNET MEANS FIXED ON SAID BRACKET AND INCLUDING SECOND MAGNETIC FACES OF OPPOSED POLARITY ARRANGED IN A SECOND COMMON PLANE, 